I was given an idea... I learned about the Madelbrot Set on July 20 and became a little obsessed. I read and researched images, sketched and made screens for printing. I airbrushed and painted and painted some more and drew with ink and painted some more. Then I tied 2059 French knots and stitched and stitched and stitched some more. On Friday Sept 12 I submitted photos of "the color of infinity" to Quilt National. I can't show you any pictures, it would disqualify me. 

My point is this: I spent every moment I could for nearly two months working on a 60"x60" quilted painting. I was unswerving. When I wasn't working on the piece, I was thinking about it. Most days I looked forward to going to my studio and spending time with my beloved "Mandelbrot", some days I went just because I had to in order to finish. At 1:16 am on Friday, Sept. 12 I hated that stupid piece of painted fabric!

My shoulders are a little cranky, my fingertips are still numb (I rarely use a thimble), and the refrigerator is filled with science experiments. But I finished. I was unswerving in my dedication to this deadline. I can't always work this way, I have a husband, family, and friends after all, but I am very happy that I gave myself permission to "go for it." 

The outcome matters less and less. I would love to have a piece in Quilt National but if that doesn't work out it's okay. I learned so much about my craft, my creative process, and myself that Quilt National is icing on the cake.

Be unswerving about something. Dedicate yourself wholly to something. It doesn't have to be a forever thing, it can be temporary. Setting an "impossible" goal for myself and being unswerving in the reaching of that deadline is wonderful! I did something really extraordinary for myself.